Thill-coupling



(Application filed Apr. 2, 1898.)

(No Model.)

Witnesses.

%2 v Attorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. MULLINS, OF LONDON, KENTUCKY.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,332, dated February 14, 1899.

Application filed April 2, 1898. Serial No. 676,232. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. MULLINS, a citi zen of the United States, and a resident of London, in the county of Laurel and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Oouplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view of my improved coupling. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section. Fig. 3 is a rear view, and Fig. 4 is a detail view, of the bolt removed.

This invention is designed to provide a thill-coupling of improved character; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates a thill-coupling clipiron formed with the parallel forwardly-projecting lugs B, which are provided with registering apertures 19 of unequal diameter for a coupling pin or bolt 0.

D designates the thill-iron or strap, having the eye or barrel cl for said coupling pin or bolt. The latter is formed With a reduced portion 0 and with a larger portion f, the two portions being connected by a tapered portion g, as shown. To receive this tapered portion g, that end portion of the eye or barrel which is adjacent to the larger aperture 1) is formed with a tapered counterbore or countersink, as indicated at h. The larger portion of the bolt is screw-threaded, as shown at P, and the wall of the larger aperture 1) has a similar thread. The bolt is also formed with a curved extension 0, which is concaved or cut away to engage the adjacent lug B of the clip-iron and thereby lock said bolt against turning. The smaller end of the bolt is also screw-threaded to receive a not H. Said nut is preferably formed with an enlarged base portion adapted to act as a washer.

It will be readily seen that the tapered portion of the bolt eifectually prevents all rattle, both endwise and laterally, and this without the use of the separate antirattlingpieces which have usually been employed. It will be seen, further, that inasmuch as the engagement of the bent head of the bolt with the clip-iron prevents the pin from turning the nut will not become loose or lose off. Should the pin or bolt become loose from long wear, a slight tightening of the nut will take up all the looseness.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a thill-coupling, the combination with the clip-iron having the lugs provided with apertures of diiferent diameters, and the thill-iron having its eye or barrel provided with a tapered counterbore at one end portion thereof, of the coupling pin or bolt having a reduced portion threaded at one end to receive a nut, a threaded portion of larger diameter to engage the threaded aperture of one of said lugs, an intermediate tapered portion to fit the said counterbore, and a rearwardly and laterally curved portion O concaved at its end to engage the lug of the clipiron at the same side of the coupling as the larger threaded portion of said pin or bolt, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. MULLINS.

Witnesses:

J. T. WEAVER, R. A. BARNES. 

